palowoda@megatest.UUCP (Bob Palowoda) (12/04/89)
From article <1989Dec3.044931.5780@NCoast.ORG>, by mikes@NCoast.ORG (Mike Squires): > In article <13366@s.ms.uky.edu> jpenny@ms.uky.edu (Jim Penny) writes: >> >>Does anyone have experience with this (relatively recent) implementation? >>In particular, is anyone using it with RFS? What hardware is supported >>wrt network cards? Does it seem solid? >> Thanks >> Jim Penny > It's 415-623-8809 and 415-623-8806. The '8806' number has a TB+ on it. ||||||||||||| VVVVVVVVVVVVV > The "fiver" BBS at 415 562 8809/8806 runs ESIX. The Sysop reports problems > with X (slow) but otherwise he likes it. I don't know if he's tested the > networking. Well actually I have been running the later Rev ESIX and the X-windows is faster. However I beleive my system configuration is incorrect to test the performance of X. First let me give you an idea what I'm running on: ---------------------------------------------------------------- CT Chip set 25Mhz (2 meg interleave) (6meg 16bit expansion mem) 8 Mhz io bus. No coprocessor Two Toshiba ESDI drives with Adaptec Controller. Vega VGA card (One of the first slow bit chip sets to come out) Two dumb IO serial ports. ------------------------------------------------------------------ A bunch of other stuff but I don't think it's relevant to the performance of the X-windows. First I don't have a good way of testing the performance of X and compareing it with other systems. I have heard of some X benchmark test that I would like to get a hold of. In the ESIX Rev C they have changed the scrolling method within the screens and it is faster. What's interesting is that the disk activeity from the Cnews program slows the scrolling down. What I would like to know how screens are drawn in X with VGA cards and what factors will change this. The ESIX X now supports the Vega Vram cards, Paridise 16 bit VGA cards, Orchid's 16bit chards, and Tatung 16 bit VGA and Everex's VGA cards. It also supports 800x600 and 1024x764 resoulutions on the fast 16bit cards. Now I've seen it on the Everex Step machines with their VGA cards and it's fast. But there machines do have an advantage over mine. If your going to do this don't configure your machine the way I have. Get a fast cache machine with a fast video card etc etc. As for the networking I'm useing NFS. It's Wollogangs and it's sold as an addition to the ESIX package. It dosn't have support for yellow pages, but it does work with PC-NFS. I'm running it connected to a 386SX machine and run QEEMS to get a little aditional memory when running large programs on the dos machine. This combination works with Ventura Publisher. As long as the unix filename where something that the vp could understand. I also tried running MS-windows along with PC-NFS. You have to remove the QEMMS for MS-windows as they will not co-exsist. Windows workds ok accross the net. You have to convert the files to a dos format and make sure the filename is something that dos can understand. I found it's easier to open a window in one write session and just transfer a cut over to another write window. I'm useing Western Digitals WD8003E eithernet cards. And it also works with Everex's eithernet cards along with 3Comms. In my opinion the ESIX package with NFS and PC-NFS is cost effective and would be productive in an office enviorment. I think ISC or SCO is going to have a hard time to justify the cost in this arena. As for bugs I haven't found any show stoppers. Couple of things I noticed no 'newaliases' in the sendmail package. It could be hidden somewhere but I haven't found it yet. I'm not useing sendmail anyways. I've heard that there is a problem running sendmail and TB's. I have a TB and get news every night and it dosn't seem to affect my performance. The only time I had a problem is when I was running some io benchmarks on the disk drives, when was doing 5 20meg benchmarks on the disks it slowed the system down and respawned a new sendmail. In the manuals it says there is support for Imake, but I haven't found it. Would be nice for compiling X stuff that comes with Imake files. I like ESIX manuals better than the Prentice Hall books. Three ring type binders. Looks like they where done with Jetroff. They have done a better job on the installation notes than the previous version. There is also support for SCSI drives. I beleive with the adaptec controller. I will probably stick with ESDI and go with a cacheing controller when they become more reasonable in price. Rumor has it rev D will have the fast file system. About benchmarks, I ran it on a Xenix 386 machine running 33mhz with ESDI drives (and the latest 386 Xenix OS) and my ESIX system with a similiar drive/controller combination. The Xenix machine turned out to be only 20k/bytes faster on the writes and slower on the reads (by 30k). This was done without tuneing on either system. All in all I'm quite happy with what Everex did with ESIX. These are my opinions. I'm sure there are other out there that will disagree with me. I'm sure I'll have more to say about X after I make some changes in my system. (And afford it, expensive little hobby here.) Has anyone tried the Cyrix math coprocessor on unix? If so have you run benchmarks on it. Speaking of math coprocessor's, I took my 80287 out of my 386 board because after running some benchmarks I found out it slows auto types, function calls, multiply's ????, and reg int's. The only thing it really helped was double's as far as I can see. Amazeing, X felt faster after I removed the 287 coprocessor. I would also like to here any comments on how ddx interacts with the VGA card and what factors improves the screen updates. ---Bob -- Bob Palowoda *Home of Fiver BBS* login: bbs Work: {sun,decwrl,pyramid}!megatest!palowoda Home: {sun}ys2!fiver!palowoda (A XBBS System) 2-lines BBS: (415)623-8809 2400/1200 (415)623-8806 1200/2400/9600/19200
bir7@portia.Stanford.EDU (Ross Biro) (12/05/89)
I'm running ESIX 3.2 rev c on a 386/20 with 4 meg of page memory, a WD1007-WA2 ESDI controller connected to a 340 meg drive. Overall ESIX has performed well, but I have found a few problems: With 4 meg of memory, X is all but unuseable. I can run one copy of xterm without serious problems but after that memory becomes full and everytime I move the mouse I have to wait for something to be swapped. The networking software does not support domain resolution (i.e. my machine is connected to internet, but I can only ftp etc. to .stanford.edu machines.) The dos support (mdir etc.) only supports 12 bit FATs so it is all but impossible to access a dos partition on a hard drive. The floppy driver doesn't sense the media type on 3.5" disks, it just assumes that they are the maximum density that the drive will support, thus it is impossible to use 720k disks in a 1.44 meg drive without changing your setup parms, and the 1.44 meg disks are treated as 1.2 meg disks so they will not be compatible with dos. There may be a problem with interactions between the select function and an Alarm handler. This doesn't cause problems with any of the software supplied with ESIX but it may cause problems when porting software from bsd boxes. ---- The problem with the 12 bit FATs and the floppy driver were told to me by ESIX technical support so they are aware of them, but I am under the impression that they have no plans for fixes in the near future. The technical support people were unaware of any problem with select, so it could just be my imagination (but I did send them some code which I think demonstrates the problem.) The only other problems I have encountered when running ESIX are do to lack of memory. When I compiled the GNU c compiler the make took three days while most of the CPU time was spent swapping pages to and from the hard disk. I think with another 4 meg it would have taken about 2-3 hours. Ross Biro bir7@portia.stanford.edu (uunet!stanford!portia!bir7)
akcs.larry@nstar.UUCP (Larry Snyder) (12/05/89)
>what factors will change this. The ESIX X now supports the Vega Vram cards, >Paridise 16 bit VGA cards, Orchid's 16bit chards, and Tatung 16 bit VGA >and Everex's VGA cards. It also supports 800x600 and 1024x764 resoulutions Do you know if the ATI board is supported? > As for the networking I'm useing NFS. It's Wollogangs and it's sold as >an addition to the ESIX package. It dosn't have support for yellow pages, >but it does work with PC-NFS. I'm running it connected to a 386SX machine Are you networking to a DOS machine or another Unix machine? > I like ESIX manuals better than the Prentice Hall books. Three ring type >binders. Looks like they where done with Jetroff. They have done a better >job on the installation notes than the previous version. I assume these are the manuals that they sell extra for $275 - the "technical reference set" >become more reasonable in price. Rumor has it rev D will have the fast file >system. About benchmarks, I ran it on a Xenix 386 machine running 33mhz >with ESDI drives (and the latest 386 Xenix OS) and my ESIX system with There are marketing their fast file system in the lit that came in yesterday's mail. >All in all I'm quite happy with what Everex did with ESIX. These are >my opinions. I'm sure there are other out there that will disagree with me. I agree. My hats off to Everex which looks like a excellent option. Are they available for support via a uucp address? larry@nstar -or- ....!iuvax!ndmath!nstar!larry
palowoda@megatest.UUCP (Bob Palowoda) (12/06/89)
From article <[257baaa6:235.1]comp.unix.i386;1@nstar.UUCP>, by akcs.larry@nstar.UUCP (Larry Snyder): >>what factors will change this. The ESIX X now supports the Vega Vram cards, > >>Paridise 16 bit VGA cards, Orchid's 16bit chards, and Tatung 16 bit VGA >>and Everex's VGA cards. It also supports 800x600 and 1024x764 resoulutions > > Do you know if the ATI board is supported? It dosn't say in the doc about supporting the ATI. But just for you Larry I will test it for the low low price of $99.95. > >> As for the networking I'm useing NFS. It's Wollogangs and it's sold as >>an addition to the ESIX package. It dosn't have support for yellow pages, >>but it does work with PC-NFS. I'm running it connected to a 386SX machine > > Are you networking to a DOS machine or another Unix machine? Larry, come on, turn on your brain for a second and think about what I said in the article. If I'm writeing about PC-NFS and useing Microsoft Windows accoss the net to the UNIX host I think it's safe for you to assume I'm networked to a dos machine. Yes it works accross the ethernet. If you wish to find out more about the PC-NFS product for DOS call up Sun. The prices don't seem to bad about 400 a station. >> I like ESIX manuals better than the Prentice Hall books. Three ring type >>binders. Looks like they where done with Jetroff. They have done a better >>job on the installation notes than the previous version. > > I assume these are the manuals that they sell extra for $275 - the > "technical reference set" Correct. > >>become more reasonable in price. Rumor has it rev D will have the fast file >>system. About benchmarks, I ran it on a Xenix 386 machine running 33mhz >>with ESDI drives (and the latest 386 Xenix OS) and my ESIX system with > > There are marketing their fast file system in the lit that came in > yesterday's mail. > >>All in all I'm quite happy with what Everex did with ESIX. These are >>my opinions. I'm sure there are other out there that will disagree with me. > > I agree. My hats off to Everex which looks like a excellent option. Are > they available for support via a uucp address? Yes, I believe it's jeff@everex. I am just finishing up a news connection to Everex's Fremont Software Test lab's. After they get use to the news I'm sure they also can answer some questions once in a while. If any one need tech details on the 88000K add in card for the everex machines 'andyb@ecsd' or 'sun!ys2!fiver!ecsd!andyb' should be able to help you. After working on one for a week I'll have to admit one of these cards makes a 386 scream. PCC feels like Turbo C. ---Bob -- Bob Palowoda *Home of Fiver BBS* login: bbs Work: {sun,decwrl,pyramid}!megatest!palowoda Home: {sun}ys2!fiver!palowoda (A XBBS System) 2-lines BBS: (415)623-8809 2400/1200 (415)623-8806 1200/2400/9600/19200
thurm@shorty.CS.WISC.EDU (Matthew Thurmaier) (12/06/89)
In article <10855@megatest.UUCP> palowoda@megatest.UUCP (Bob Palowoda) writes: > >[text deleted....] In my opinion the ESIX >package with NFS and PC-NFS is cost effective and would be productive in >an office enviorment. I think ISC or SCO is going to have a hard time >to justify the cost in this arena. > > There is also support for SCSI drives. I beleive with the adaptec controller. > >All in all I'm quite happy with what Everex did with ESIX. These are >my opinions. I'm sure there are other out there that will disagree with me. >I'm sure I'll have more to say about X after I make some changes in my >system. (And afford it, expensive little hobby here.) > >---Bob > Bob Palowoda *Home of Fiver BBS* login: bbs > Work: {sun,decwrl,pyramid}!megatest!palowoda > Home: {sun}ys2!fiver!palowoda (A XBBS System) 2-lines > BBS: (415)623-8809 2400/1200 (415)623-8806 1200/2400/9600/19200 Bob... Wait a minute.... I know ESIX is a pretty good deal BUT, have you looked at Open Desktop from SCO. Lets see, according to the add I have here in front of me ESIX includes: 1.) runtime O.S. 2.) dev sys. 3.) X-Sight 4.) Streams availability of NFS and other goodies (looks like add-ons) Open Desktop INCLUDES NFS, INGRESS, NFS, and a couple of more goodies for only $100 more! YOU CAN'T BEAT THAT. Flames to me..... Matthew. Snail Mail: E Mail: Matthew J. Thurmaier ...decvax!garp!harvard!uwvax!thurm The Computer Classroom matt@shorty.cs.wisc.edu 6701 Seybold Road, Ste. 122 Madison, WI 53719 (608) 271-2171 "why am I ALWAYS going somewhere?" >>-matt-->
akcs.larry@nstar.UUCP (Larry Snyder) (12/06/89)
>Bob... Wait a minute.... I know ESIX is a pretty good deal BUT, have you >looked at Open Desktop from SCO. Lets see, according to the add I have >here in front of me ESIX includes: > 1.) runtime O.S. > 2.) dev sys. > 3.) X-Sight > 4.) Streams > availability of NFS and other goodies (looks like add-ons) > >Open Desktop INCLUDES NFS, INGRESS, NFS, and a couple of more goodies for >only $100 more! YOU CAN'T BEAT THAT. Are you referencing Open Desktop from SCO? If so it is to the best of my knowledge much more than ESIX. The retail price for the ESIX multiuser package is $825 ($611 quant 1-2) and that includes everything except for NFS. Revision D of ESIX is due in the spring with the new fast file system which is going to be faster than the Interactive file system (according to their sales information and technical support). ESIX support is FREE forever. Major upgrades are $99, and minor ones are $25 per license (not per product). ESIX is distributed with many drivers (unlike ISC) and supports most of the
davidsen@crdos1.crd.ge.COM (Wm E Davidsen Jr) (12/06/89)
In article <257cf554:235.4comp.unix.i386;1@nstar.UUCP> akcs.larry@nstar.UUCP (Larry Snyder) writes: | Are you referencing Open Desktop from SCO? If so it is to the best of my | knowledge much more than ESIX. ESIX is $825 and Open Desktop will be <$1k ($975 was the price I heard). That's about the $100 the original poster mentioned. | The retail price for the ESIX multiuser | package is $825 ($611 quant 1-2) and that includes everything except | for NFS. Desktop includes NFS. | Revision D of ESIX is due in the spring with the new fast file system which | is going to be faster than the Interactive file system (according to their | sales information and technical support). SCO UNIX has FFS, too. I don't know if the Desktop version has the security features. If it does it's a plus, but you have to turn them off for best performance. | ESIX support is FREE forever. SCO support cost forever. Worse than that there is no upgrade policy. I was going to go Xenix=>UNIX, but the support can't be upgraded and I don't have any money in the support pocket. Result: stay with Xenix. | Major upgrades are $99, and minor ones are $25 per license (not per product). | ESIX is distributed with many drivers (unlike ISC) and supports most of the The posting was truncated at this point here, but I don't think anyone has more drivers than SCO. And the X in Desktop is supposed to be the good one from ix/386 (someone might confirm this). You didn't mention DOS under UNIX, Desktop uses DOSmerge rather than vp/ix. This is a marketing decision. Summary: the choice is not as one sided as you might think. There are good reasons to use both. Hopefully this clarifies the features of Desktop. SCO has NOT made the info as available as they might, but they are supposedly not shipping until 1Q90. -- bill davidsen (davidsen@crdos1.crd.GE.COM -or- uunet!crdgw1!crdos1!davidsen) "The world is filled with fools. They blindly follow their so-called 'reason' in the face of the church and common sense. Any fool can see that the world is flat!" - anon
eric@egsner.cirr.com (Eric Schnoebelen) (12/07/89)
In article <9315@spool.cs.wisc.edu> thurm@shorty.cs.wisc.edu (Matthew Thurmaier) writes: - In article <10855@megatest.UUCP> palowoda@megatest.UUCP (Bob Palowoda) writes: - >All in all I'm quite happy with what Everex did with ESIX. These are - >my opinions. I'm sure there are other out there that will disagree with me. - >I'm sure I'll have more to say about X after I make some changes in my - >system. (And afford it, expensive little hobby here.) - > - >---Bob - > Bob Palowoda *Home of Fiver BBS* login: bbs - - Bob... Wait a minute.... I know ESIX is a pretty good deal BUT, have you - looked at Open Desktop from SCO. Lets see, according to the add I have - here in front of me ESIX includes: - 1.) runtime O.S. - 2.) dev sys. - 3.) X-Sight - 4.) Streams - availability of NFS and other goodies (looks like add-ons) - - Open Desktop INCLUDES NFS, INGRESS, NFS, and a couple of more goodies for - only $100 more! YOU CAN'T BEAT THAT. The low price version of Open Desktop that I saw was only a two user license, and I believe that it lacked the software development kit. If SCO has a $900+/- system running Unix (not Xenix) that includes all of the above, with an unlimited user license, I certainly would be glad to hear about it! (it would change several recommendations I have made recently.) [All of the above: unlimited user license, software development kit, Streams, NFS, Xsight, Ingress, and documentors workbench would be nice] - Matthew J. Thurmaier ...decvax!garp!harvard!uwvax!thurm - The Computer Classroom matt@shorty.cs.wisc.edu -- Eric Schnoebelen eric@egsner.cirr.com schnoebe@convex.com "/bin/sh: Bourne in the USA"
mb@chantal.UUCP (Michael Burg) (12/08/89)
In article <1869@crdos1.crd.ge.COM> davidsen@crdos1.crd.ge.COM (Wm E Davidsen Jr) writes: >In article <257cf554:235.4comp.unix.i386;1@nstar.UUCP> akcs.larry@nstar.UUCP (Larry Snyder) writes: > >| Revision D of ESIX is due in the spring with the new fast file system which >| is going to be faster than the Interactive file system (according to their >| sales information and technical support). > > SCO UNIX has FFS, too. I don't know if the Desktop version has the >security features. If it does it's a plus, but you have to turn them off >for best performance. I believe that the ESIX FFS will be much faster than SCO UNIX FFS and hopefully ISC FFS. The FFS is the true FFS from the BSD 4.2/4.3 world (minus symbolic links). It will support the old System V directory layout (14 characters per filename for applications that don't use ndir.h) or the BSD directory layout (up to 255 characters per filename). Hey, Jeff .. care to give us a update on this thing? --Mike
jde@everex.UUCP (-Jeff Ellis) (12/08/89)
In article <11050@megatest.UUCP> palowoda@megatest.UUCP (Bob Palowoda) writes: >From article <[257baaa6:235.1]comp.unix.i386;1@nstar.UUCP>, by akcs.larry@nstar.UUCP (Larry Snyder): >> Do you know if the ATI board is supported? > > It dosn't say in the doc about supporting the ATI. But just for you > Larry I will test it for the low low price of $99.95. Well.... We are as of this time working on a driver for the ATI vga card I do not know with it will be released. >>>become more reasonable in price. Rumor has it rev D will have the fast file >> There are marketing their fast file system in the lit that came in >> yesterday's mail. We are working on a BSD Fast File System..... again I do not know when it will be put into production. >> I agree. My hats off to Everex which looks like a excellent option. Are >> they available for support via a uucp address? > > Yes, I believe it's jeff@everex. I am just finishing up a news connection > to Everex's Fremont Software Test lab's. After they get use to the > news I'm sure they also can answer some questions once in a while. > > Bob Palowoda *Home of Fiver BBS* login: bbs Yes ESIX support is available via uucp send any e-mail to jde@everex.uucp (not jeff@everex) or esixtech@everex.uucp. All mail sent to these accounts are printed dailey and put into a log book. I answer mail sent to me normally within 24 hours if possible. The Everex north software lab is NOT qualified to answer non-DOS questions. Phone support is through (714) 259-3000. Thanks.... -- Jeff Ellis ESIX SYSTEM/V A Division Everex Systems Inc. US Mail: 1923 St. Andrew Place, Santa Ana, CA 92705 UUCP: uunet!zardoz!everex!jde Voice: (714) 259-3000 FAX:(714) 259-3010
palowoda@megatest.UUCP (Bob Palowoda) (12/08/89)
From article <9315@spool.cs.wisc.edu>, by thurm@shorty.CS.WISC.EDU (Matthew Thurmaier): > In article <10855@megatest.UUCP> palowoda@megatest.UUCP (Bob Palowoda) writes: > Bob... Wait a minute.... I know ESIX is a pretty good deal BUT, have you > looked at Open Desktop from SCO. Lets see, according to the add I have > here in front of me ESIX includes: > 1.) runtime O.S. > 2.) dev sys. > 3.) X-Sight ^^^^^^^ Wrong. ESIX is Xwindows. (X-Sight is a DOS type product) > 4.) Streams > availability of NFS and other goodies (looks like add-ons) I did say NFS is extra. In fact I think they arange it quite simple. You get everything but the NFS or VPIX. > Open Desktop INCLUDES NFS, INGRESS, NFS, and a couple of more goodies for > only $100 more! YOU CAN'T BEAT THAT. Now what your saying here is you get: SCO UNIX 3.2 UNLIMITED Version C Development system (includeing Code view) This would include all the librarys for the Xwindows product they sell and the libraries for the network software. NFS includeing all the ethernet routines and drivers to get it running. DOS Merge 386. INGRESS. SCO Windows (X-windows with Motif) For $925.00? I beleive your talking about a two user system here right. Think how stupied it would be to get a two user system and run NFS and a multi-user database. TWO USER LICENSE's ARE USELESS IN THESE TYPES OF UNIX ENVIORNMENTS. Some may disagree with me but I doubt that they would want to pay for the users who cannot upgrade there system from a two user system to the unlimited version. I thought about the INGRESS Database in the package myself. At first I thought it was a good deal. But I found out there are better databases than INGRESS and you can't subtract the database from the package price. I figure 350 for the Simul-task and 800 for the Informix DB in on that. And I really think if you put the prices in more perspective the complete SCO UNIX cost about 3600.00. If I where to add the feature your talking about here to get an equivalent package I would say I'm at the 2000.00. Now I'm not saying that SCO isn't good. I've used there software a couple of years and liked it. But 1600.00 isn't chicken feed to me. So what I would like to know is where's the beef? And what are the REAL PRICES? > Flames to me..... None intented. -- Bob Palowoda *Home of Fiver BBS* login: bbs Work: {sun,decwrl,pyramid}!megatest!palowoda Home: {sun}ys2!fiver!palowoda (A XBBS System) 2-lines BBS: (415)623-8809 2400/1200 (415)623-8806 1200/2400/9600/19200
gwr@linus.UUCP (Gordon W. Ross) (12/09/89)
I have tested the X server from ESIX RevC with the ATI EGA Wonder
and it worked after I disabled the "special emulation features".
As I recall from the ATI manual, switch 8 enables a feature which
permits software written for the CGA and hercules adapters to run on
the EGA Wonder. It appears that this feature causes the EGA to behave
in ways not understood by the ESIX device driver. With the emulation
feature disabled the card behaves exactly like an IBM EGA (and works
fine with ESIX).
--
Gordon W. Ross (E025) ARPA: gwr@linus.mitre.org
The MITRE Corporation UUCP: {decvax,philabs}!linus!gwr
Burlington Road, Bedford, MA 01730 (617) 271-3205larry@nstar.UUCP (Larry Snyder) (12/10/89)
> I'm running ESIX 3.2 rev c on a 386/20 with 4 meg of page memory, a WD1007-WA2 > ESDI controller connected to a 340 meg drive. Overall ESIX has performed > well, but I have found a few problems: > > With 4 meg of memory, X is all but unuseable. I can run one copy of xterm > without serious problems but after that memory becomes full and everytime I > move the mouse I have to wait for something to be swapped. Do you have a math co-processor? I've been told that those are really required when running X - and can make quite a difference in screen IO. Does ESIX support RLL drive subsystems?
larry@nstar.UUCP (Larry Snyder) (12/10/89)
Jeff, which mailer are you distributing with ESIX? larry@nstar
bir7@portia.Stanford.EDU (Ross Biro) (12/11/89)
>Do you have a math co-processor? I've been told that those are really required >when running X - and can make quite a difference in screen IO. I don't have a 387 but I've heard the same thing and am considering it. >Does ESIX support RLL drive subsystems? I'm not sure, but Everex can be reached at EVEREX.UUCP.
palowoda@fiver.UUCP (Bob Palowoda) (12/14/89)
From article <453@everex.UUCP>, by jde@everex.UUCP (-Jeff Ellis): > Yes ESIX support is available via uucp send any e-mail to > jde@everex.uucp (not jeff@everex) or esixtech@everex.uucp. > All mail sent to these accounts are printed dailey and put into a > log book. I answer mail sent to me normally within 24 hours if possible. > The Everex north software lab is NOT qualified to answer non-DOS questions. Excuse me, I meant to reference any questions about there 88000 UNIX systems. Speaking of tech support, do you have any list of system tuneable parameters the would help performance with machines with let's say 8meg of memory? Or any of the streams tuneable parameters that would affect ftp, Xwindows etc? Some more detailed questions are: How does NUMTIM affect streams efficacy? What factors come in when setting the number of NBK sizes? What does increaseing the number of NQUEUE's do with respect to a single user and multiusers? What streams tuneable factors take more effect for a single user useing Xwindows or a network as opposed to multiple users? ---Bob -- Bob Palowoda pacbell!indetech!palowoda *Home of Fiver BBS* login: bbs Home {sun|daisy}!ys2!fiver!palowoda (415)-623-8809 1200/2400 Work {sun|pyramid|decwrl}!megatest!palowoda (415)-623-8806 2400/9600/19200 TB Voice: (415)-623-7495 Public access UNIX XBBS
jde@everex.UUCP (-Jeff Ellis) (12/14/89)
ESIX System/V comes with mail, mailx, and sendmail is included in the TCP/IP package for ethernet mailing. I am using smail 2.5 and ELM together for our usenet computer. Having a program that uses pathalias output is VERY NICE. These programs can be found on various bbs' around and can be compiled and up in about an hour or so. -- Jeff Ellis ESIX SYSTEM/V A Division Everex Systems Inc. US Mail: 1923 St. Andrew Place, Santa Ana, CA 92705 UUCP: uunet!zardoz!everex!jde Voice: (714) 259-3000 FAX:(714) 259-3010
wingard@Columbia.NCR.COM (12/16/89)
In article <951@fiver.UUCP> palowoda@fiver.UUCP (Bob Palowoda) writes: > > Some more detailed questions are: > > How does NUMTIM affect streams efficacy? It sets the number of "timod" STREAMS modules (which implement TLI endpoint support) available in the system. For implementations of X11 or TCP/IP based on TLI, it is one of the limiting factors on the maximum number of simultaneous X or TCP/IP connections (since you have to have a timod for every connection). > > What factors come in when setting the number of NBK sizes? > Basically, the total volume of STREAMS traffic you expect. My experience has been that 4, 16, and 64 byte buffers are the ones you need most of. The amount of memory you have is a factor also -- it's nice to have huge pools of buffers waiting around, but not you if get a huge kernel that makes all your programs swap for lack of available space. I can't give give you accurate sample numbers, 'cause it might be an apples and oranges comparison -- I administer an NCR Tower 32/825 with 3 processors with 16 MB apiece, supporting 10 users and 30+ xterm sessions (and all the xclock's, etc. that they like to run) running on X terminals over TCP/IP. This is an excerpt from one of our STREAMS utilization reports (the numbers are large because this kernel's been running for about a month): Item In Use Free Total Max Config Failed ----------------------------------------------------------------- Streams: 198 618 299750 229 816 0 Queues: 1160 3202 609555 679 4362 0 NBLK4: 82 282 8996206 328 364 3307 **** NBLK16: 0 428 12017790 343 428 1108 **** NBLK64: 101 347 64584846 230 448 0 NBLK128: 7 185 5618815 176 192 9 **** NBLK256: 92 68 707440 160 160 26 **** NBLK512: 10 90 823046 48 100 0 NBLK1024: 5 63 266254 16 68 0 NBLK2048: 5 79 78489 17 84 0 NBLK4096: 0 6 2551 5 6 1 Mblocks: 302 2010 102707074 1213 2312 0 Dblocks: 302 1548 93095437 895 1850 4451 As you can see, I've still got to go in and bump up the allocations marked with asterisks to handle our peak load. In cases of severe data block starvation, you won't see any messages or warnings -- you'll just see things slow down severely or just "freeze"; some drivers that need a STREAMS block badly will just sleep until they can get one (yecch). The best tool for this is the "strstat" command in crash. You get reports like the one above that you can use to determine if you've allocated enough resources. > > What does increaseing the number of NQUEUE's do with respect > to a single user and multiusers? Every STREAM is implemented by a series of queues. Consequently, increasing NQUEUE (in tandem with NSTREAM) gives you more available STREAMS. This is important if you've got a bunch of users doing STREAMS stuff, or if you're one user doing a bunch of STREAMS stuff. The "proper" ratio of NQUEUE/NSTREAM depends on the typical "height" of your STREAMS stacks; i.e., how many modules do you usually have PUSHed on a STREAM between the driver and the STREAM head? > > What streams tuneable factors take more effect for a single user > useing Xwindows or a network as opposed to multiple users? > Assuming that you're using the AT&T-styled XWIN that makes all X server communication over TLI & STREAMS whether you're local or remote, it's all a matter of degree. The STREAMS subsystem acts the same way whether it's handling one user or ten -- you've just got to make sure that you allocate resources proportionally to the number of users you expect and the amount of traffic they're going to generate. Remember that along with NQUEUE, NSTREAM, and the NBLK parameters, you may need to increase parameters like NUMTIM (as explained above), NUMTRW (for TLI connections that expect a read(2)/write(2) interface instead of t_snd and t_recv), and allocations for other STREAMS modules such as "ldterm", "ptem" and the STREAMS pseudo-tty drivers. Hope that this helps -- sorry if I got a little long-winded. -- Steve Wingard wingard@ncrcae.Columbia.NCR.COM NCR Corporation, E&M-Columbia gatech!ncrats!ncrcae!wingard #include <disclaimer.h> hp-sdd!ncr-sd!ncrcae!wingard